Many CAM therapies work in combination with traditional treatments to help relieve Crohn's disease symptoms.

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For people with Crohn’s disease, a chronic condition, treatment is a lifelong process. For some, the conventional route of treatment, including medications and surgery, may not always offer as much relief as they’d like. Experts recommend complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) approaches as another avenue of treatment in addition to traditional methods.

The science behind the effectiveness of these therapies differs greatly. Some CAM treatments have quality research studies to support their use; some have only anecdotal support, meaning that their use may be based on the experiences of a small number of people or personal recommendations and not on controlled research trials.

Is it a good idea to try some of these therapies if you have Crohn’s disease? Joyce Frye, DO, of the Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine says, “It’s not a question of if you should use these alternative and complementary therapies. It’s a question of using them correctly.”

Crohn’s Disease Complementary Therapies: A Complete Approach

Dr. Frye says, “Whole [holistic] medical systems have two goals. The first is to treat the underlying imbalance that has caused a problem, so we can allow the body to heal itself. The second goal is to provide symptom relief in the meantime.”

While many people with Crohn’s disease and other chronic illnesses report improvement after using CAM therapies, many conventional doctors can be hesitant about recommending such therapies to patients because they are skeptical about success rates or even fearful about unknown side effects.

In most cases, CAM therapies are safe and unlikely to interfere with your conventional medical treatment. The exception is if you're considering herbal supplements. In this case, it's imperative that you speak to your doctor first to prevent interactions with your conventional Crohn's medications. You might also consider working with a registered dietitian who has experience with Crohn’s disease. This professional guidance will help you to replace essential vitamins and minerals not absorbed by your body because of the disease, as well as help you know what supplement choices may be beneficial to you.

There are a variety of CAM therapies that may be useful for people with Crohn’s disease. These include:

Acupuncture for Crohn’s Disease

Dr. Frye says that people with Crohn's disease sometimes find relief from acupuncture, a ancient Chinese therapy that involves placing very thin needles in specific points on the body to help restore its healthy balance. A recent review of studies on acupuncture and gastrointestinal diseases found promising evidence in favor of acupuncture treatments. One study in particular found that quality of life for Crohn’s patients “improved significantly” after acupuncture treatments. Acupuncture done by a licensed and experienced provider has no known risks.

Fiber for Crohn’s Disease

Fiber plays an important role in the average diet. But for people with Crohn’s disease, whether you should eat high-fiber foods or take fiber supplements depends on your specific condition and where you are at any given point in the active/remission cycle of the disease. In some people, fiber supplements like psyllium powder (Metamucil) or methylcellulose (Citrucel) may stop mild diarrhea. On the other hand, if your Crohn’s disease has caused strictures, areas in the small intestine that have become narrow, high-fiber foods like raw fruits and vegetables, nuts, and seeds will cause discomfort (like painful cramps), and you’ll want to avoid them. Working with a dietitian will help you map out the best diet plan for each phase of the disease.

Herbal and Other Nutritional Supplements for Crohn’s Disease

Besides improving your overall nutrition to make up for vitamin and mineral losses caused by Crohn’s disease itself as well as some of its treatments, additional supplements may help as part of your overall treatment plan. None of these are considered a replacement for conventional pharmaceutical or surgical approaches. Because herbal treatments and doctor-prescribed medications don’t always mix well, you should consult with a health care provider and/or nutritionist who can evaluate your needs and recommend the best supplements for you. Some supplements to consider include:

Omega-3 fatty acids, key nutrients found in fatty or oilier fish varieties, such as herring, salmon, bluefish, lake trout, and mackerel; omega-3's have been also been shown to provide benefits for heart health. Research has found that omega-3s have a positive anti-inflammatory effect, making them helpful in treating Crohn’s disease as well as other IBDs. Unless your doctor has advised you against eating these types of fish, consider adding them to your regular diet. Omega-3s are widely available in supplement form, too.

Boswellia is an herb derived from the gummy resin of the Boswellian serrata tree, which is native to India. Boswellia is commonly used to ease symptoms of IBDs. In fact, a study confirmed that the anti-inflammatory properties of boswellia extracts can be effective in controlling inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. More testing is still needed, though.

Bromelain is an enzyme derived from pineapple stems. A recent study found evidence to suggest that bromelain might be an effective anti-inflammatory supplement for people with IBDs.

Additional herbs that may have a positive effect on the inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease are slippery elm, cat’s claw, and marshmallow (as a tea made from the herb, Althea officinalis, not the candy).

Homeopathy for Crohn’s Disease

This is a system of healing that focuses on the whole person, not just the person's illness. Practitioners are called homeopaths, and homeopathic remedies are often made from plants and minerals. Little medical research has been done to confirm the results of homeopathic remedies, but this is an approach you might want to investigate.

Mind/body techniques for Crohn’s Disease

Mind/body techniques focus on the ways that the mind and body connect and interact. Helpful techniques for easing Crohn’s may include:

Meditation, guided relaxation, yoga, and tai chi are popular mind/body choices. While these therapies do not treat Crohn’s disease directly, they all help reduce stress, which may trigger flare-ups and worsen symptoms.

Hypnosis may have a more targeted effect on Crohn’s disease symptoms. According to a review by the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore of various studies, hypnosis may help the functioning of the body’s immune system and also give you the expected relaxation benefits of other mind/body practices, such as easing stress and anxiety.

Massage is a popular stress reducer, but there is no clear opinion about its value for Crohn’s disease patients. If you like the feeling of relaxation that comes from massage, ask your doctor for specific guidelines based on your medical condition, including whether the massage therapist should completely avoid your abdomen and how light or deep the massage should be.

Probiotics for Crohn’s Disease

Some people with Crohn’s disease supplement their diets with probiotics. Probiotics are a type of “good” bacteria that are found naturally inside your intestine and aid in digestion. Frye says, “There is plausible rational for why these would be helpful. If altered bacteria in the gut aren’t the cause of the IBD, it certainly is an effect.” Probiotics can be found in some yogurts (look on the label to see if it contains active cultures) or may be taken in capsule form.

New research is also currently being done on prebiotic supplements. A prebiotic is a non-digestible ingredient in food that has shown some ability to stimulate helpful microorganisms found in the colon.

In addition to not being well studied, alternative therapies can also be expensive. Some insurance plans cover acupuncture, massage, yoga, and other movement classes, but others don’t. Until research is able to show clear-cut benefits, it may be difficult to convince insurance companies to reimburse you for them. However, many patients do report positive outcomes from using alternative therapies, making them additional forms of treatment that might be worth trying.

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